Coronation Street: The Official Colouring Book – Review & Giveaway

15/09/2016

There was a stage in my life when Coronation Street was pretty much part my religion. Back in the days before on demand TV I’d make sure I was sat on the sofa at 7.30 in an evening ready to hear that famous theme tune. In the rare event that I was out the video recorder would be set and I’d come home hoping that no one had recorded over it whilst I was out. As a Northern family we didn’t really do Eastenders as that was full of Southerners and it was just all too gritty for us. And whilst Corrie was from the “wrong side of the Pennines” it still found a place in my heart for many, many years.

Nowadays life has moved on and 7.30pm (or whatever time it is one these days) often sees me in the middle of trying to get the kids through the bath and into bed. There are times though when I have an evening at home, alone on the sofa with the remote control when I will find myself searching Corrie out on catch up and spending half an hour with no idea who anyone is anymore, but just comforted by the fact that life on Coronation Street is still going on. It’s a bit like the Shipping Forecast and Radio 4 – you might not listen all the time, but just knowing they’re there is like a safety blanket. I used to put Terry Wogan and the Great British Bake Off in the same category, but 2016 is shaking up our ideas of normal a bit isn’t it?

When an email dropped into my inbox telling me about Coronation Street: The Official Colouring Book I was intrigued. The current thing for courting books hasn’t passed me by, but I personally am more drawn to the therapeutic colouring in of random patterns than pictures, but each to their own. This Coronation Street colouring book takes things to a whole new level though and I can see why it will be a must for all Corrie fans.

The Coronation Street colouring book provides a history of the show’s 55 years in picture form. Not only does it feature some of the most famous sights like the overhead view from the 2002 titles where you can see the milk float coming down the street itself and the Newton and Ridley sign on the wall of the Rovers, but there are also pictures of famous characters and scenes from over the years. The choice of scenes and characters can on first look appear a bit random, but actually when you go through them and realise what memories they evoke it seems to make sense as to why they have been chosen.

From the very first episode in 1960 we see Elsie Tanner checking out her reflection on her pocket mirror with the famous line “Eeh, Elsie. You’re just about ready for the knacker yard.” As the years move on so do the characters and the sight of Vera Duckworth, Reg Holdsworth and Curly Watts in Bettabuys really took me back. Seeing old favourites like Jack and Vera, Curly and Raquel, Mavis and Derek and Roy and Hayley felt a bit like going through an old photo album, remembering old friends. Other scenes like the tram crash and Richard Hillman trying to kill the Platts aren’t really scenes I can imagine sitting and colouring in for fun, but you’d probably think differently if you were a die hard Corrie fan. Others like Schmeichel joining Les and Cilla in the jacuzzi are just plain funny!

So there you go, Coronation Street: The Official Colouring Book is no doubt the perfect present for any Coronation Street fan, but if you want to get your hands on a copy for yourself then I’m delighted to say that I’ve got four copies to give away to lucky Being Mrs C readers. All you need to do is leave me a comment below telling me what your favourite Coronation Street scene is from over the years and fill in the Rafflecopter widget below. I’ll draw four lucky winners at random.

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Coronation Street: The Official Colouring Book for the purposes of this review. The published also supplied four additional copies which I am using in this giveaway. All opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links.

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Comments

My favourite corrie scene was when Liz McDonald was serenaded by Vernon singing don’t fall into the Masons arms which was all about her fancying a different man… Very funny.. http://youtu.be/TF7tROPt3Z4

She was quite a unique character. One of a kind. I can recall that she would go to all the funerals. I think Audrey worked for a time doing hair of the deceased for the funeral director. I think Blanche may well have ‘spilt the beans’ on that.

My Favourite Scene In Corrie Was The Eepisode When Blanche Went Along To Peter’s AA Meeting. It Was Hilarious To Watch And A Scene You Can Just Watch Over And Over Again Without Getting Tired Of It As It Was Pure Corrie At It’s Best.

So spoilt for choice….I love the comedy one-liners that Corrie do so well. Always enjoyed scenes with Steve and Karen Mcdonald (lovely mix of humour and serious) while Jez Quigley would be my all time favourite villain